Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-04-22

| Hiudie, ah tHutS JSt WndI can U teli yer
honor. May | niver slape in glory av
know what to make NV the colleen. Sure,
it's loike a stock or stone she's sittin liver
since widout a word to fling at a dog"
But" said |, ''O'Connor was to meet Ely
last evening, and go with her to chapel Did
he do sof an how long were they togetherf'
"Sorra one O me knows / KEN home
airly from chapel meself, an went straight
to bed, but av Mick OConnor was at his duty
| yestreen, sure it's before the althar rails he'd
ha' been this mornin', an there he wasn't as
sures my names Tim Delany. Pehonei it's
| black, black me heart is an scalded wild the
| hot tears for me poor Eilyl"
Don't give up. Tim, my man If your
sister can prove 0'Connor was with her. he's
| all right. What time was the murder dis
| covered?h
about tin, as Pm tolwd, your honor.
| The agint's wife wint to his room wild DOS
| set, fur the crathur was sick wild bad cowld,
an there she found him stritched stiff an
stark wild cash in his throat you could put
| yer fist In"
Could Ely prove OConnors innocence3
| No one knew nor could any one gain the
least intelligence from her. Upon everything
connected with her lover she remained oh
| stinately silent, and no questioning would in
| duce her to admit or deny any knowledge of
his actions on that night.
In the meantime the assizes drew near
when the three men who were accused of
numbering the agent were to be tried, and as
vet Ely had given no intimation as to her
evidence. She was obviously in deep distress
and perturbation OF mind but that was per
tIy h.. - l.
lover Things looked very black for the
prisoners; circunistantial evidence was strong
against them and, so far as any one could
divine, there was no rebutting testimony to
put forward The day of the trial came and
the court room and yard around it were
crowded to suffocation. Two of the men
were convicted without any difficulty and
sentenced to be hanged in three days They
made short work af the "rebelious dogs of
peasants" in those days. Michael O'Connor
was tried on separate Indictment as not
having been actively engaged in the murder,
but aiding and abetting by keeping guard for
the others
After the opening speeches of the counsel. |
and the witnesses for the prosecution had
been heard, Call Ely Delany," said the law
yer engaged for the defense The name pro-
duced a startling sensation among those who
knew her and the circumstances of her be- |
trothal-upon none more than her brother, |
who ga5ed on her with eyes and mouth dis |
tended us she advanced to the witness stand. |
Pale as the sheeted dead with every feature
of her lovely face SO set in iron resolution
that it looked As if carved from Parian |
marble Ely Delany with unfaltering voice |
and hand, called on God to witness that she |
spoke the truth, the whole truth, and nothing |
but the truth, when she swore that Michael |
0Connor had met her at the blackthorn tree
on Shrove Tuesday evening, that he had |
gone with her to the chapel, and afterward |
accompanied her home where he remained |
talking before the kitchen fire until IL O'Clock |
that night Every effort was made by the |
opposing counsel to break down the evidence, |
but III vain She stuck to her story i'll every |
point, and clearly, unfalteringly un- |
hesitatingly swore her lovers life free |
from the gallovs. As her evidence con-
cluded and she turned to leave the stand, |
her eyes met mine, and knew in that instant |
that she had sworn falsely. Her brother, |
knew it, too. Oh, the aStoniShment the |
doubt, the dread, the horror, painted on his |
face as her tale went on; until at last he COW |
ered his ey YES with his hands and covered |
down where he stood, as if the weight of her |
perjury had crushed him TO the earth As |
the jury returned "A verdict of Not guilty. |
Delany raised his head and looked full at his |
sister There was keen rebuke and deep |
shame Ill that look but also yearnIng ten |
derneSs that spoke of forgiveness granted be-
fore asked But on her beautiful face there |
fell shadow more solemn than despair; |
lifelong remorse, a lifelong remuneration, |
spoke in her answering look |
Next day l left Limerick for the north of |
Ireland, and it was some months before |
again stood on the busy quay of the famous |
old city An enigrant ship was to sail that
day. and crowds were pushing and showing |
their way ON board. Among them | caught |
sight of familiar faces, and was presently |
shaking hands with Tim Delany and his fam
lily Yes, there they all We're, including Mick |
O'Connor, leaving the old land and the old |
life behind them, and turning their faces to
new hopes and new homes beyond the deep |
A little apart from the others stood ELY: her
hands hung liStlesslv by her side, and her sad |
eyes gazed vacautiy over the rolling waves
There was something inexpressihly forlorn
and desolate III her look as | approached her
and said
ell, iIIIy- L nope you VIII ma more
happiness in the world than you leave
behind yon in he Old"
She turned a heaGtbroten look on me, but |
remained silent. Her brother spoke: But |
she's not soin' wild us, the cIathur! Heard We
iver the loike o that, Yer honor2 Sure, it |
does be breakin me heart to lave her, but |
can't kape the chiIher here to starve Oh, |
Aileen mavoutneen acushla machree, if it |
wasn't as stubborn as pig ye wor, it's |
happy man be this day"
And you, too OConnor," said |, in won
dering reproach, do you, too, abandon hera'
"She would have it so" said LIE, looking
down sheepishly.
"Yes," said Ely i'll clear resolute tone.
81 will have it so Let thin go an find hap
pier homes an fairer fortunes beyant the say.
Such are not for me don't deserve thin.
Tomorrow / join the Ssterhood of St.
Bridget, and spind the balance o my sad life in
pinance for my sin"
So she did, and in works of charity and
mercy, and in daily prayer and penance
strove TO wash out the guilt of that false oath
by which she had pledged her soul to save her
lovers life.--A e. Garfield in Times Demo
crat.